Media releases

Okotoks and High River now home to the fastest wireless technology in the world

Okotoks, AB – TELUS is now offering the world’s most advanced and fastest wireless technology to customers in Okotoks and High River. Additional communities will be getting access to 4G Long Term Evolution (LTE) in the coming months, as TELUS brings the technology to more than 80 per cent of Alberta’s population by the end of 2012.

Today’s announcement is part of the company’s combined $3 million investment in Okotoks and High River to expand 4G LTE to the communities and introduce Optik TV to even more homes in 2012.

“TELUS is committed to offering the best customer experience and launching our 4G LTE service in Okotoks and High River is an excellent example of how we’re doing that,” said Fred Weinheimer, general manager of Customer Solutions Delivery for the communities. “With a 4G LTE device, our customers can enjoy the fastest wireless technology available in the world today – we are continuing to expand this new technology, community by community, so that by the end of the year more than 80 per cent of Alberta residents are expected to have access. It’s an ambitious undertaking.”

LTE is rapidly emerging as the new standard for wireless technology in the world, with most new handsets built to take advantage of its superior speed. TELUS customers can already experience the full capabilities of TELUS’ 4G LTE network with the popular Samsung Galaxy S III, HTC One X, Samsung Galaxy Note, Huawei E397 4G LTE Mobile Internet Key and the Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 LTE. The LG Optimus G, Samsung Galaxy Note II and HTC One X+ will also be joining the TELUS LTE device lineup this fall. Consistent with TELUS’ clear and simple pricing approach, current rate plans will apply to all TELUS 4G LTE customers without premium charges.

The launch of TELUS’ 4G LTE network complements Optik on the go, an innovative new service that allows TELUS Optik TV customers to view a selection of TV On Demand shows and movies on their mobile devices, tablets and laptops – at home, in coffee shops, at airports and on the move. Optik on the go offers TV On Demand shows and movies from 11 channels including Super Channel, Hollywood Suite, YTV, ABC Spark, Family Channel and Disney Jr. The content library will continue to grow throughout 2012 and beyond as new shows and movies are added.

TELUS’ 4G LTE network supports manufacturers’ rated peak download speeds of up to 75 megabits per second (Mbps), with an expected average of 12 to 25 Mbps. TELUS customers will experience dramatically faster downloads when surfing the web, reading emails, getting the latest chart topping music, or watching TELUS Optik on the go when using TELUS’ 4G LTE services. Downloading a 600 megabyte album of songs with a 4G LTE-capable device will take just 3.5 to 7 minutes and a 1.2GB HD movie from iTunes will take between 7 and 14 minutes. Importantly, if TELUS customers travel outside of 4G LTE network coverage areas, they will move seamlessly from 4G LTE to the existing 4G HSPA network with no disruption of service.

4G LTE is the latest evolution in TELUS’ wireless network technology plan made possible by the 2009 launch of its coast-to-coast 4G HSPA wireless network service. Today this network reaches more than 97 per cent of Canadians. Since 2000, TELUS has invested more than $30 billion to bring Canadians some of the most advanced wireless and wireline broadband networks in the world.

Additionally, TELUS is putting customers first and embracing new ideas to make the TELUS experience better. By listening to customers, TELUS has not only eliminated activation fees, it has dramatically simplified its entire fee schedule. This builds on a series of improvements made over the past several years where TELUS has also eliminated carrier 911 and system access fees on all its Clear and Simple rate plans, reduced bill shock with Flex Data Plans, Data Notifications and Worry-free Travel, added Caller ID and Voicemail as standard on all TELUS rate plans, simplified device pricing with Anytime Upgrades and revolutionized mobility contracts by introducing a Device Balance instead of the dreaded contract termination fee.

By the end of 2012 TELUS 4G LTE service is expected to launch in Fort McMurray and Lloydminster with more communities to come online soon after.

For more information on TELUS 4G LTE or to sign up for network coverage updates, please visit telusmobility.com/4GLTE or check out our coverage map at www.telusmobility.com/coverage.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $10.6 billion of annual revenue and 12.8 million customer connections including 7.4 million wireless subscribers, 3.5 million wireline network access lines, 1.3 million Internet subscribers and 595,000 TELUS TV customers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services including wireless, data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, television, entertainment and video.

In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed more than $260 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered 4.2 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Fourteen TELUS Community Boards lead TELUS’ local philanthropic initiatives. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition.

This news release contains forward looking statements regarding further LTE coverage expansion, LTE device availability and content library growth. By their nature, forward-looking statements require the Company to make assumptions and predictions about future events and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual outcomes to differ materially from that expressed or implied by the forward looking statements. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. TELUS disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements.